9 Best Stops Between Reims and Clermont-Ferrand
The direct drive from Reims to Clermont-Ferrand is 347 mi (558 km) and takes about 4 hr 42 min without stops. Instead of powering through, here are the stops that turn this drive into part of the vacation, composed by Vaut le Détour, updated regularly.
Stops worth the detour on this route
château de Versailles · Versailles
Royal palace built by Louis XIV in the 17th century, this sprawling 815-hectare estate is celebrated for formal gardens designed by Le Nôtre
Beaugency · Beaugency
A 10th-century fortress keep commanding the Loire, crossed by Joan of Arc during her transformative 1429 campaign
Charroux · Charroux
This 10th-century Basilique Saint-Croix drew medieval pilgrims seeking to venerate the precious relics of the True Cross
abbaye Saint-Pierre d'Hautvillers · Hautvillers
A 7th-century Benedictine abbey that housed the monk Dom Pérignon, who perfected the champagne-making method in the 17th century
Where to stop for lunch
Le Lion D'or
🧺 Les Années Vintage
Opening hours verified at composition time. Vaut le Détour only suggests tables that are actually open at your real arrival time.
Where to stay on this route
If you split the drive in two, Clermont-Ferrand sits in the right place. We wrote it up: what to see and where to stay in Clermont-Ferrand.
At the other end, the centre of Clermont-Ferrand books up early in season. We only show places rated above 8 out of 10.
🛏️ See places to stay in Clermont-FerrandPartner link: booking through it supports Vaut le Détour at no extra cost to you. A partnership never buys a place in our selections.
Along the way: what you'd drive past without knowing
On the road, Vaut le Détour tells the stories of the places you pass, read aloud while you drive. A taste:
Dom Pérignon, whose tomb still rests beneath this abbey's vaults, never set out to invent champagne: he spent years fighting to eliminate the bubbles he considered a shameful flaw in his wine.
On January 18, 1871, Bismarck proclaimed the German Empire in the Hall of Mirrors after seizing the château—and exactly 48 years later, in that same gilded room, the Allies forced Germany to sign the peace treaty, transforming Louis XIV's masterpiece into History's most symbolic revenge.
In November 1975, Giscard d'Estaing gathered six heads of state here for what he imagined as a casual dinner—no agenda, no official statement. That table talk became the G6, then the G7, the world's most powerful economic forum.
With your schedule, your crew (kids included), your tastes, your car, gas or electric. Free, in English.
Frequently asked questions
- How long is the drive from Reims to Clermont-Ferrand?
- The direct drive from Reims to Clermont-Ferrand is 347 mi (558 km) and takes about 4 hr 42 min in normal traffic. With a lunch stop and one or two visits along the way, plan on a full day: the drive then becomes a real part of the vacation.
- What is there to see between Reims and Clermont-Ferrand?
- The stops truly worth the detour on this route: château de Versailles, Beaugency, Charroux, abbaye Saint-Pierre d'Hautvillers.
- Where should I stop for lunch between Reims and Clermont-Ferrand?
- Around 11:59, for example Le Lion D'or. Vaut le Détour verifies the restaurant is open at your real arrival time.
- Is this route doable with kids, or in an electric car?
- Yes: the planner adapts visits and guides to children (age-based challenges), schedules lunch earlier, and for EVs guarantees charging stops, ideally during a meal or a visit, with charger price comparison.